My First Visitors

Last week was the week of "My First Visitors" since the start of my life in the Big Apple. Olivier arrived from Seoul on Saturday 6 December to stay here for the week. Reason for his visit? Not me, but a training at Columbia Business School...what a coincidence and fantastic to have him here!

Anyway, I tried to get him over his huge jetlag, his departure from Seoul was approx the same time he arrived in the US, so that felt kind of weird... Olivier kept on going very strong through Central Park, along 5th Avenue, Wall Street and SOHO where we crashed in Félix, a nice spot for aftershopping drinks or just a Sunday afternoon (when it's raining).

After the long walks, being confronted with this city full of people, cold weather, noise and highrises, the drinks did the rest!
On Sunday night we went to a Rangers hockey game, they played the Calgary Flames in Madison Square Garden, `the world's most famous sports arena´ as the enthusiastic New Yorkers call it. It was a nice game played by the Rangers but they failed to fight and score...and the Flames did not...so they won. Bad luck!

During the week I met with H & M who were in town for a wedding - a Dutchie getting married with an American girl. We had a great diner in TAO, a restaurant with a giant Buddha statue inside. Shopping and having diner were the main ingredients of the days they spent, looked like they were enjoying it!! And last but not least, I had lunch with Alexandra at Union Square, it was special to catch up with her after such a long time.

Olivier was in town all week long, so on Friday we were off to Meatpacking District and wanted to go to one of the topspots out there: the Spice Market. Both entourage and food of this Asian Fusion restaurant were not disappointing at all!
Saturday we went clubbing in the Mansion, we had a fantastic night full of dancing and drinks, among the crowd that was dressed for success...

My dear visitors, thanks for coming over, it was a special week!!

Lighting the Tree

Each year, as a tradition a giant Christmas tree is elevated at Rockefeller Plaza, famous for its Rockefeller Centre called "the Rock".

And every year the unofficial start of the Christmas Holiday Season is the "Lighting of the Tree" event, marking the first time the lights are turned on in that giant Christmas tree. The event attracts thousands of people wanting to see the tree lit and is broadcasted live on NBC with an impressive line-up of celebrities. This year, for the 76th edition, Beyonce and the Jonas Brothers among others made the crowds go wild.

"THE TREE IS LIT!!"

As you can imagine, I was very honored to be invited for a Lighting of the Tree Party, hosted by a Dutch law firm, on the 15th Floor in Rockefeller Centre. Together with a couple of colleagues I went to the party (which was not an easy thing as all streets were blocked and thousands of people tried to come as close to the tree as they could...). After some convincing negotiations with a police officer we were in the Rockefeller building, ready to see the tree being lit.
We met a lot of other Dutchies, some American lawyers and enjoyed the great view at the tree and the icering, where New Yorkers and tourists normally skate and flirt. The crowds were standing in the cold, we were standing on the 15th Floor drinking a Heineken beer...what a life we have!

After warming up the crowd and the countdown, the climax of the tree lighting was there exactly at 9pm, the thousands of little coloured lights were glowing in the dark. I'm still wondering how they managed to put so many lights in that tree..

New York city life - First impressions

A first impression and maybe more a reflection on life in New York City, well, after two weeks of being a New Yorker...

Life here is convenient when you belong to the ones that can afford it, life is tough when you can't. This is a crystal clear division in sociey here. Up till now, daily life has been quite easy for me with all the exciting things the city offers. Work long days, go out late, work-out hard and enjoy the city's 'amenities' to the full extend.
However, life is not easy for the men and women in the street, asking you for a dime or a quarter. I realise myself everyday how lucky I am, each day that I can wake up without the main concern how to survive the day. I'm concerned about the weather, probably work and what nice things I can choose from that day. That makes me smile, happy. And makes me talk to the doorman of my apartment building and give that spare quarter to the guy who needs it.
Another part of life here is the non-judgement of who you are and where you come from and at the same time the strong society judgement who you are, what you do and how much money you have.
People are taken the way they are, when sitting in the subway people just start talking to me and their fellow subway-ers sitting next to them, no matter if you're a banker or homeless. Sharing their opinion, discussing, laughing, about whatever topic you can think of. I guess this has to do with the fantastic melting pot of cultures, races, and people this city is and the openness and endless enthusiasm of the American people, I love it!
On the other side, there is the continuous judgement in society who is good and who is bad, dominated by the media and the public. If you are a rising star, if you are rich and famous, the people will adore you, celebrate you and the places you're going will be more popular than ever.
But if you fail to be successful any moment and lose your money, you will drop in the rankings of society and a new star will be there to replace you.

These first 'encounters' make me think this is probably why the city will never stop living, never start sleeping...and that there is more to discover...